On My Own :)

Woke up and decided that after a walk, I would take the car challenge!
 I walked along the road away from the house along the hillside and found that it is indeed the short route to Massignieu de Rives.  Looking up at the mountains at the other side of the small valley: Dent du Chat (Cat's Tooth) and, looming large, the Grand Columbier, where the poor slugs who ride in the Tour De France have to ride up, and up, and up.  Everyone, it seems, has some sort of garden with tomatoes, beans, some grapes, and flowers.  The valleys are green and cross hatched with fields.
But, on to the drive.  It's been a while since I drove a manual shift, but it's like riding a bike isn't it?  Once you learn, you never forget.  True enough, once you figure out reverse.  I was seriously thinking I wouldn't even make it out of the lean-to, when , after trying everything I could think of, and cursing myself for not making Jonathan let me drive before he left, I tried pulling up then over, and voila!!  On my way.
Slowly, and much to the chagrin I'm sure of my fellow drivers, I made my way to Belley, the next town down the road.  Jeanine had pointed out a boulangerie just on the round-about (they are every mile or so it seems here), and I wanted to try it, so I slowed as I approached the dreaded circle of autos and plunged in.  I'm proud to say, I didn't have to go around and around as I'd predicted but managed to get off at the next spoke and into the car park.  Like a pro.
What awaited me inside, is like nothing you find in the US.  To one side of the open space was a closed case with at least a dozen types of sandwiches ready for the lunch crowd, all on wonderful mini loaves of bread.  At the end were the patisseries.  Tarts, chocolates, donut-y looking things, all mouth wateringly delicious looking.  Then on the other side were the breads.  How much bread can a gal eat in a day, I asked myself.  Can I take some home and freeze it?  But no, I'll just come back tomorrow!! When the sales girl approached, I asked for a baguette du mairie, pointed in case I'd mispronounced, and managed to get what I'd asked for!  It was still hot from the ovens in the back!  I took a photo of it, I was so proud.
I drove a lot today.  I tried the train station in Culoz so that when I need to take Andy and Ned there on Friday, I don't make them miss their train, and I got lost several times, but I obviously made it back home.
I am still trying to figure out photos on this computer.... sorry!